How is tension built up in the monkeys paw, and in the telltale heart? english coursework

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Introduction

How is tension built up in the monkeys paw, and in the telltale heart? Throughout the 'Monkeys Paw', various methods have been used by Jacobs to portray the buildup of tension. The monkeys paw is written in gothic style, meaning that the tension is an important factor to contributing to an ominous atmosphere. Throughout the monkeys paw, various distinctions are made between the internal environment and external environment, the lighting of the scene in the story, and finally weather. The build up of tension through the use of the weather is known as Pathetic Fallacy. The buildup of tension in the 'Monkeys Paw' is important because it signifies the gothic element to the stories, and gives an inciting upsurge to the final event which the tension climaxes at. Throughout the 'Telltale heart', there are contrasting methods used in the buildup of tension, such as the use of repetition and capitalized words. Firstly, a main factor contributing to the tension in the story is the weather, which is used in different points in the story to create an ominous atmosphere. At the start of 'The Monkeys Paw', when the father and son are at chess, the weather is used to set the atmosphere. ...read more.

Middle

She gets out of bed and proceeds to the paw where she makes Mr. White make the wish. Soon after the wish is made, the knocking starts, 'A third knock resounded through the house'. Mrs. White thinks that this knocking is Herbert and tries to rush towards the door. Mr. White stops her. She then breaks free and runs to the door tension is at its highest. At the end of the story, when Mrs. White rushes down to open the door, tension is at its highest level. 'A cold wind rushed up the stairs', a cold draught is gothicly associated with disappearings and mystery. Herbert seems to have vanished from outside of the door. As Mr. White used the monkeys paw to banish him. In conclusion, tension is built up throughout the monkeys paw in through the weather features, the internal and external environments and the light and darkness. These are all features associated with gothic literature. Also, the audiences are put under suspense by the unfolding of events and when the tension climaxes at. Throughout 'The Telltale Heart', various methods have been used by Edgar Allan Poe to portray the buildup of tension. 'The Telltale Heart' is written in gothic style, meaning that the tension is an important factor to contributing to an ominous atmosphere. ...read more.

Conclusion

'You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing'. And also, his descriptions of placing the lantern and of the eagle eye. These he takes time and effort to take care of, and he makes sure to say that he despises the eagle eye very much. And to what extent he will go to destroy it. There are a large variety of different ways in which tension is built up, ranging from noises to the repetition. These all contribute to give a story which is full of tension all of the way through. The narrator describes the lantern placing in great detail, and his hatred of the eagle eye too. These are two of the main factors he uses to build tension. At the end of the story, there is a great buildup of tension, when the narrator finally goes completely mad. There are an increased use of capital letters, rhetorical questions, long sentences and exclamation marks. 'now I grew VERY pale'. Towards the end, the narrator is becoming scared, and he also becomes very confused, in contrast to before, where he planned out everything in detail. 'O God what COULD I do?' There is also evidence that he becomes mad, 'I swore - I foamed - raved!'. Towards the end of the story, he becomes hysterical and mad, as in contrast to when he was collective and stable at the start of the play. ...read more.

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